


embrace the power of 'and'

by phinnia



Category: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-16
Updated: 2020-04-16
Packaged: 2021-03-01 23:01:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,446
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23685061
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/phinnia/pseuds/phinnia
Summary: I can't believe there is no fic for Kira/Odo/Quark.   How it begins.   Set just after 'The Magnificent Ferengi' (or as I like to call it, 'Weekend at Keevan's').
Relationships: Kira Nerys & Quark, Kira Nerys/Odo, Kira Nerys/Quark, Odo/Quark (Star Trek), Odo/Quark/Kira Nerys
Comments: 5
Kudos: 31





	embrace the power of 'and'

"Brought you something." Quark says, breezing into the security office. 

Kira and Odo look up. "You're back?"

"Surprised?"

"Honestly? Yes. I didn't think you'd make it back." Kira says bluntly, standing up and pacing. "Did everyone survive the trip?"

"Well, Keevan didn't, because Gaila accidentally shot him instead of me - "

"Clumsy oaf." Odo mutters from behind the desk.

"But other than that, everyone's fine. And I did bring you something back. It was actually _Moogie's_ idea, but it was pretty smart, so I'm obviously taking credit. He's in the bar."

"You brought a _person_ back with you?" Odo says suspiciously.

"No." Quark grins. "I brought a _Vorta_ back with me. A Vorta named Yelgrun. He's currently being irritated by my mother in the bar. Or being given investment advice, it's hard to tell with her, it could be either or maybe it's both." He shakes his head. "I don't know how they cope. No sweetheart, no parents, no bad habits, no investment portfolio ... what do they do with themselves? I guess they just blindly worship goo gods. Anyway, I should probably go and make sure Moogie's not trying to start a revolution with the dabo girls or extort Morn out of his life savings or something. She's definitely drinking all my slug juice, anyway." He whisks out of there in a flash of brilliant colours and patterns.

Kira sits back down and sips her raktajino. "Wow. He's ... really smart, every now and then."

Odo huffs to himself. "Don't tell him that." 

Kira goes into the bar a few evenings later. Odo's off on a mission with Sisko and Jadzia. 

Quark slides a Tarkalian tea in front of her on the bar.

"I didn't ask for this." she says, looking up from her report.

"Thought you might want it anyway. I can take it back if you don't."

"No, it's fine." She sips it. It's actually sweetened just the way she likes it, and she's surprised, although she probably shouldn't be, that Quark knows her preferences. "Thank you."

"No, thank _you_." Quark sits down across from her and sighs. "If I have to hear about how Morn doesn't want to see his mother any more, I swear I'll tear my lobes off."

"I thought you two could bond over mother issues." she says teasingly.

"His mother just wants him to get married or some other nonsense. Mine has other plans, like equal rights on Ferenginar for fe-males." He takes a sip of his drink. "It's not enough that my father was a failure at business and Rom is an idiot - and don't try to tell me he's not -"

"He's nice." Kira says as diplomatically as she can. "But he is kind of ... dense."

"Dense like a mudslide, you mean. But my mother wouldn't even chew my food growing up." He shakes his head. "Your mother talks to strangers. Your mother doesn't chew your food. All the other children thought we were freaks. And here I am." He sighs. "A bartender on a space station and it's scarcely making a profit. Destined for the Vault for sure." 

"Do Ferengi believe in ... well, do Ferengi have a belief system?" She's never thought about this before, that Quark might have an inner life. "In things that aren't strictly latinum, I mean."

"We believe in the Blessed Exchequer. I guess that's like the Prophets, for you. And we bid on new lives in the Divine Treasury, if our current life shows a profit. And if it doesn't, we go to the Vault of Eternal Destitution."

"So ... you just keep living, over and over."

"Greed is eternal. Tenth rule of acquisition." 

"What are these 'Rules of Acquisition' you keep mentioning?" 

He smiles, showing his teeth. "Hang on. Let me get you a copy. I'll put it on your tab."

Odo looks over Nerys' shoulder. "What are you reading?"

"Oh, it's a copy of the Rules of Acquisition. I got it from Quark."

" _You_ are reading a copy of the _Rules of Acquisition_ that you got from _Quark_?"

"Yes." She looks up from the book. "It's actually interesting. I talked with him the other night. Did you know that Ferengi have an elaborate belief system based on living life after life? It's fascinating. Of course, most of the papers written on it you have to pay to access."

"Well, that's Ferengi research for you."

"But he also told me a little about his past, Odo." She sighs, and closes the book. "Did you know the other children on Ferenginar thought he was a freak because his mother wouldn't chew his food, and because she talked to strangers?"

He frowns. "No. But that's an awfully traditional society."

"I know, but that's _not the point_ , Odo. The point is that he's still - _still!_ letting this weigh on him. I mean, you and I, we have each other. But who looks after Quark? He really just ... survives, despite everything." She sighs. "And eventually he's going to collapse. Especially now that Nog's busy with work and Rom's married and with the war on ..."

"So I take it you have a plan."

She chuckles. "Well, I don't know. He is ... ingratiating, but he can be cute. And there are all of these hidden depths I never even realized he had." 

"We could have him over for dinner."

"We'll have to make something he doesn't serve." she muses. "Bajoran food, maybe. Salads and hasperat."

The night they were meant to have dinner, however, coincided with the night after Jadzia died, and Quark had a fake smile on for all of his customers and was looking forward to going home and covering himself up with a blanket and probably never coming out again.

Major Kira grabbed him by the elbow. "Hey. You still coming for dinner tonight?"

He just shrugs.

"Come on! It's just me and Odo. Neither of us will judge you for having _feelings_. And if he does, you can hide his bucket."

Quark chuckles. 

"Come _on_. I didn't know what you liked that we could all eat. Or, well, that you and I would eat. So I figured we could both eat salads and hasperat, that sort of thing. Please?" She's tugging at his elbow. "I know you don't eat warm food, except fish. Come on, Quark, I really planned for this."

"All right." He smiles slightly. "I'll go. For you two. As long as nobody else is going to be there."

"Nope, just the three of us."

Quark brought wine - springwine, a good vintage - and he and Kira toasted Jadzia with it. Odo respectfully raised a glass.

"I know Doctor Bashir saved the symbiont." Kira says. "But I have no idea what's going to happen now."

"We'll get an all-new Dax." Quark broods. "Probably adorable and unattainable just like the last one."

"Could be male this time." Odo suggests, trying to figure out what to say. He's not really comfortable with this ... brooding Quark.

"Pah, I don't care about Hu-man gender ideas."

"You don't?" This is news to her.

"Nope. Sex between males on Ferenginar is a common tactic to seal deals in business contracts." A rare smile. "How do you think I got things done around here during the Bajoran occupation?"

She splutters with laughter. "You ..."

"Even when you're a customer, sell yourself. Rule 151."

"I should arrest you for prostitution." Odo grumbles.

"But you won't." Nerys says.

"No. I won't." He looks over at Quark. "Only because the statute of limitations has passed, though."

Quark laughs at that.

Nerys comes into the bar. "Quark, will you help me with this polish?"

"Wow, you look absolutely stunning this evening, Major." He serves Morn a Samarian Sunset, flicking a blue nail against it to make it turn the customary autumn-gold colours. "Where's Odo?"

"Oh, he's on the Defiant. It's just docking now. And I told you, call me Nerys."

"All right, Nerys then. Nice color." He holds it up to the light. "Looks like -"

"Latinum, I know. I thought it was perfect."

"Well, you sure look great in that green dress." He starts painting her nails. "So, what's the fun tonight? Vic's again?"

"No, I thought we'd try somewhere else."

Odo comes in wearing his customary tuxedo. "Are you two coming?"

"As soon as he's done painting my nails."

"Wait, what?" Quark almost misses the bottle with the cap.

"Oh, didn't Nerys mention? You're coming with us." Odo takes one hand, and Nerys takes the other, and they lead him up the stairs to the holosuites. 

Quark's head is absolutely spinning.

They went to a restaurant on Risa (or well, the holographic version) and had wonderful food, and talked for hours, and then he watched Nerys and Odo dance and then Odo asked him why he was looking so bored, and so he had to dance with Nerys and then he danced with Odo and then they went for a walk on the beach and watched the moon rise. It was beautiful and perfect and he had to bite his lip twice to make sure he wasn't dreaming. And then they walked him back to his quarters and kissed him goodnight, with a little oo-mox (he'll never look at Nerys' fingers quite the same way again now that he knows what they can do to a lobe) and ... wow.

But is it real?

Right now, he's too happy to care.

In the dim light of station morning, though, things look grimmer. Quark goes to the bar feeling bleak.

It was probably all just a joke. 

Having a little fun with Quark.

"Quark?"

He turns around and breaks a glass. "What?"

"You all right?" Nerys asks him. 

"Fine. I'm fine."

"You don't look it." She reaches out and takes his hand. "Tell me what's going on."

He looks around. Nobody here but her and Morn. He makes her a raktajino and he makes Morn his usual Denebian mimosa and he serves them both and they go over to a table. 

"What in the name of the Blessed Exchequer was last night about?" he whispers.

She shrugs. "You looked like you were having fun. I was. Even Odo was."

"That's not - what do you _want?_ There's got to be something in it for you."

She gives him a strange look he can't identify at first. "You really don't know, do you?"

"No! I don't."

"Who looks after you, Quark?"

"Nobody! I'm a Ferengi male. I've looked after myself this long."

"But are you happy?"

"Of course I am! The bar's making a profit."

"Are you _happy_ , Quark?" She looks at him. "I mean, really happy? When was the last time you were really happy?"

He thinks. 

"Last night. When we were watching the moon rise." he murmurs.

She nods and smiles. "Me too."

"So ..."

"So why not keep being happy?" She beams. "I'll go out with you, you go out with Odo, we all go out together, Odo can go out with me."

"We'll have to keep a calendar." Quark says, realizing the import of all of this. 

"You can set one up."

"Ferengi are excellent with numbers. I'll have it done by the end of the day."

"I'm sure you will." She picks up her raktajino and traces the edge of his lobe as she leaves.

"Nerys. Wait."

She stops. "Hmm?"

Quark stands on the toes of his boots and kisses her lips gently. She tastes like sweetened raktajino and surprises. 

Odo comes in at ten-thirty with half a smile on his face. Obviously he's been talking to Nerys. 

"Quark." He says gruffly. "I'd like to speak with you about something."

Quark feels like he's eaten spoiled tube grubs for breakfast. "Uh ... whatever it is, I definitely didn't do it."

"I know." And Odo grabs him by the wrist and marches him over to Security.

Fortunately, there's no one there at the moment.

"If you know I didn't do something then why am I here?" he dares to ask.

"Because you didn't give me my good-morning kiss, you ingrate." He pins Quark against the wall.

Oh. _Oh_. That's what this is about?

Quark grins. "Well, you weren't _there_ , so that's hardly my fault." He stands on his toes again and kisses Odo. Odo, as he expected, tastes like nothing. But he does give incredible oo-mox, which nearly reduces Quark to a puddle on the floor.

Of course the gossip gets around. DS9 would be nothing without rumors. Worf thinks the whole thing is dishonorable. Ezri thinks it's kind of enlightened. Odo thinks that if changelings had relationships, if they ever bothered, this would probably be how it would work. Many-as-one. Sisko is glad they're happy. Rom is glad his brother's found someone - _two_ someones, even. Julian is intrigued by how it works (purely medically, of course). 

They move in together after a while. Nerys has to get used to the quarters being soundproofed, and Quark's habitually sleeping entirely under a sheet. She just snuggles next to the sheet, and she can feel him relax. Odo regenerates on the bed on top of them, their own gooey blanket. 

When he leaves to heal the link (with a promise to return) Quark and Nerys accidentally have a baby.

She begins as an accident. But Doctor Bashir begins with the hormone supplements and makes certain that she'll survive the five-month gestation. 

Quark gets used to sneezing in the mornings.

It's noisy, but it's endearing. 

He's also working out a way to contact Odo. 

Nog is helpful with that. Of course he is. He's still a Ferengi, after all. 

Four and a half months later ... 

"You hold her, Quark." Nerys passes their daughter over. "Thought of any names?"

"I don't know." He smiles as the baby takes his fist. "Kira Kelda, maybe?"

"Why Kelda?"

"My dad's name was Keldar. He was awful, but you would have liked him. He was ... kind. Which is nice, I suppose, but terrible in business. But I guess since she's half Bajoran, she'll have to learn to be that way."

"And you can teach her to be a good Ferengi."

"Well, of course." he says. "I'll teach her the Rules. See Brack acquire. Acquire, Brack, Acquire."

"What?" she laughs.

"I used to read it to Nog."

The door opens. 

"Odo!" Nerys shouts. 

"Blessed Exchequer, it _worked_ , how long are you back for?" Quark almost drops his daughter.

He smiles. "As long as you'll have me. Sorry I missed the excitement." 

"Her name is Kelda. Do you want to hold her?" Quark asks.

"Of course." He looks down at the baby. "Hello there. You look very much like my two favorite people."

Kelda grabs his finger. It turns into a tentacle, and she's very surprised about it.


End file.
